The Making of Dual Mania – Filmmaking Chicago Style

Inspired by the feature film produced, written, and directed by Chicago filmmaker Joseph Strickland, The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style is a boldly personal account of what it takes to create, produce, and direct an independent feature film in current times.

The nonfiction narrative takes the reader through the sometimes hilarious, frustrating, and bewildering film production process with the fiercely creative Strickland, along with co-authors B.J. Patterson and Cat Ellington, witnessing a fiery account of his own firsthand experiences through the menacing highs and lows of independent filmmaking in Chicago.

With a fascinating foreword by Cat Ellington, The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style also features in-depth interviews with the filmmakers, detailed storyboards, behind the scenes photos, and the original motion picture screenplay.

About Joseph Strickland (Chicago, Illinois Author)

Joseph Strickland is an American screenwriter, producer, director, and author from Chicago, IL. A former film festival judge for the 32nd Chicago International Film Festival and the 14th Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, Strickland also served as Chair of the Features Jury on the adult jury panel for the 15th Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival.

The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style is the author’s first collaborative work of nonfiction, co-authored with fellow writer and theater critic B.J. Patterson, and author Cat Ellington, to whom Strickland is married. The fiery narrative was inspired by Strickland’s directorial debut Dual Mania, a psychological thriller dealing with the dual persona a young possesses and attempts to conceal throughout his ongoing sessions with his therapist.

About B.J. Patterson (Co-Author)

B.J. Patterson, who started out in journalism writing editorials and articles for local newspapers, is a writer with a focus on the disenfranchised, community involvement, and entertainment. The founder and owner of CompositionPlus, Patterson is also a published author, playwright, producer, and theater reviewer. She lives in Chicago.

About Cat Ellington (Co-Author)

Christened 'The Hardest Working Woman in the Arts,' Chicago native Cat Ellington is a highly distinctive public figure whose professional creativity extends a number of artistic fields, including music, movies, art, and literature.

A multi-genre songwriter, casting director, poet, and professional art model, the innovative Ellington is also the author of the Reviews by Cat Ellington Complete Anthology book series, and co-author of The Making of Dual Mania: Filmmaking Chicago Style.